One of the number one questions that we get lately is NOT how to get on Facebook initially… it’s how to fix Facebook missteps. What if you messed up and you did it wrong? How do you now go about fixing it – or should you even worry about it?
The answer is a resounding YES! You should definitely worry about it, and you should definitely FIX your mistakes.
Facebook Mistake #1: I set up a Facebook personal Profile for my business or organization instead of a Page. How do I convert it to a Page?
First off, here’s WHY you must convert it to a Page. This isn’t an optional activity, and maybe the necessity will motivate you despite the possible short-term repercussions:
Here’s what happens if you violate Facebook’s Terms of Service and insist on using a personal Profile for your business or organization. Facebook can and will discover your plight eventually – usually after you’ve amassed a significant and active following – and they will, without hesitation or warning – disconnect your Profile. They owe you nothing, but they do leave you with an explanation screen that looks something like this picture below:
(NOTE: This is a picture that my friend Cary Tyson sent me in confession of his own Facebook blunder and the resulting Facebook fall-out. If you’re a follower of this blog, you’ve seen this image before, but apparently it stands repeating since so many of you are still in violation of Facebook’s very specific Terms of Service.)
Yes, this means what you think it means. If this happens to you, you just lost all of your contacts, connections, conversations, photos, goodwill, social capital and any other goodness you may have held dear on your Facebook Profile.
Now… If you find yourself in the predicament of having created a PERSONAL Profile for your business or organization’s Facebook presence, here are a few easy steps that we recommend (without going into the detailed in’s and out’s of how to create a Facebook Page) to convert your following over to a new Page:
1. With a real person OTHER THAN your existing, wrongfully created Facebook Profile as the administrator, create a “Page” for your business or organization.
2. Create a “profile picture” on the new page that is different from the existing Profile that you are moving away from. This helps prevent confusion for customers. Ideally, I would recommend that the new profile picture be a custom graphic that includes both your business or organization’s logo as well as some sort of witty message stating that this PAGE (the new spot) is the “official Facebook presence” for this business. That lets folks know that they are at the right spot. Profile pictures can change as frequently as you’d like, so this “official Page” wording on your “picture” – which can yes, really be anything graphic or photo related that you desire – is just a temporary measure to aid the conversion process.
3. Add the wrongfully created personal Profile as an administrator to this Page. (You don’t want them to be the ONLY one, because if/when the profile is disconnected, it would also leave you disconnected from your new Page.)
4. Invite all of the friends of the Profile to “like” the new Page.
5. Send personal messages to all of the movers and shakers on your existing Profile and ask them to “like” the new Page and to also comment in some fashion.
6. Post on the Profile that you are ceasing activity on that Profile space immediately and where folks can go to stay in touch. Encourage them to “like” the new Page, so they don’t miss a thing.
7. Make certain that you are actively posting, interacting and growing the community on your new Page right from the start. Don’t invite folks to a dead space. Post photos, wall posts, information on the information tab, and other multi-media content and custom content BEFORE you invite folks over. That way they don’t miss a beat, aren’t confused and hopefully love the new Facebook Page more than the old Profile.
What else would you add to this process? Have you already undertaken a Profile to Page conversion? How did it go for you? Post your comments and let’s help others along this path!
Each case is a bit different and would require some custom strategic moves, I imagine, but hopefully this encourages you to get started on your quest for Facebook compliance and ultimate success!
